Black Australorp ~1.5 years old strange behavior

[MarlaMac]

Today, I saw this girl crouched down behind the rocks lining my yard. When I went to see what she was doing she army crawled little ways but willingly let me pick her up. I picked her up, checked for any injury and I didn't see anything, but she was open mouth breathing like she was stressed out. When I put her down she ran away and hid in some tall weeds near by.

Back story. We currently have 3 boys and 10 hens. The young cockerels, hatched by broody momma in the flock, are now 18 weeks old and have started to try to woo and mate the girls (chasing them down when they are alone) which has made our rooster more aggressive in his chasing/mating the girls. I know the girls are stressed. The cockerels have found new homes. One will be gone tomorrow and the other will be gone on 4/25. Today I separated the two cockerels from the flock. The flock free ranges and the cockerels were locked in a temporary pen. The cockerels crowed and paced all day long wanting out. I will keep the one separated until he leaves on the 25th.

Some of the girls did start hanging out with the dominate cockerel. I am wondering if this girls is one of those and is now hiding from our rooster.

When I picked her up she seemed stressed and it seems that her crop was empty as if she hadn't eaten much all day. I gave her some scrambled eggs and some sugar water which she gobbled down and brought her in the house with our girl recovering from an attack. When my husband put her in the crate she immediately began eating the food that was there.

I put a leg band on her so I can tell who she is (I only have black australorps). My plan is to put her out with the flock tomorrow and monitor her behavior, making sure she is eating and not being picked on by anyone else.

Any insight you can offer is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

and brought her in the house with our girl recovering from an attack.

Do you mean a wild predator attack? I was ready to totally blame the cockerels for your hen's stress and fear until you mentioned "an attack."

If there is anything worse than one hormonal cockerel, it's two. (Or more.) Assuming a wild predator wasn't responsible, I feel pretty certain the cockerels terrorized your hen, and she was hiding from those two and not your rooster. Keep in mind she doesn't know they will be leaving soon, and by your description they have stressed her out nearly as bad as a wild predator attack would. She may continue to hide and not eat until she realizes she won't be chased down and forcibly mated. Due to her stress, she may stop laying for a short time too. Definitely keep the remaining cockerel penned until he goes to his new home, and your hen will eventually relax and return to her normal behavior.

 

[MarlaMac]

Do you mean a wild predator attack? I was ready to totally blame the cockerels for your hen's stress and fear until you mentioned "an attack."

If there is anything worse than one hormonal cockerel, it's two. (Or more.) Assuming a wild predator wasn't responsible, I feel pretty certain the cockerels terrorized your hen, and she was hiding from those two and not your rooster. Keep in mind she doesn't know they will be leaving soon, and by your description they have stressed her out nearly as bad as a wild predator attack would. She may continue to hide and not eat until she realizes she won't be chased down and forcibly mated. Due to her stress, she may stop laying for a short time too. Definitely keep the remaining cockerel penned until he goes to his new home, and your hen will eventually relax and return to her normal behavior.

Thank you. The wild predator attack happened in Jan to another bird while she was free ranging. I only mentioned it as a reference as to where we kept this bird overnight. In hindsight, it probably only confused. Sorry.

I was pretty sure that is the case. The two boys were locked up all day, but they sure were making a lot of noise. In her mind she was probably wondering from whence they would jump her.

Hard lesson learned. Get rid of cockerels BEFORE they get hormonal. I appreciate your insight and confirmation. I will also build a separate pen to keep any further cockerels hatched full time after weaned by broody momma just to keep my hens safe. They have all been harassed for the last 3 or so weeks. I am sad it took me this long to act.

Thanks again.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Thank you. The wild predator attack happened in Jan to another bird while she was free ranging. I only mentioned it as a reference as to where we kept this bird overnight. In hindsight, it probably only confused. Sorry.

I was pretty sure that is the case. The two boys were locked up all day, but they sure were making a lot of noise. In her mind she was probably wondering from whence they would jump her.

Hard lesson learned. Get rid of cockerels BEFORE they get hormonal. I appreciate your insight and confirmation. I will also build a separate pen to keep any further cockerels hatched full time after weaned by broody momma just to keep my hens safe. They have all been harassed for the last 3 or so weeks. I am sad it took me this long to act.

Thanks again.

A lot of people have made the same mistake before they knew how ruthless some young cockerels can be. And I did too. When my broodies first began hatching chicks, I allowed the young cockerels to range free with the other pullets and adult hens. Until one day I witnessed a gang of Four run over to a young adult hen and take turns, one after another, "mating" her. I had noticed the hen peering around some bushes as if she was looking for something. (She was probably trying to get to the nest boxes to lay an egg.) I had no clue what she was hiding from until I also saw the gang of four. They spotted her and made a beeline directly to her. From observing both her behaviors and that of the four cockerels, it was obvious it wasn't the first time that had occurred. That was the last day those four had their freedom, and that very night I sent them to cockerel heaven.

I now keep the cockerels I want to keep for future breeding purposes separated in bachelor pens the very first time I see testosterone-driven behavior. Occasionally some young cockerels are gentlemanly from the get-go, but it is rare, especially if there is more than one. On that note, your rooster should settle back to his former mannerly self once he no longer has to compete for mating rights, and peace will return to your flock.

 

[MarlaMac]

A lot of people have made the same mistake before they knew how ruthless some young cockerels can be. And I did too. When my broodies first began hatching chicks, I allowed the young cockerels to range free with the other pullets and adult hens. Until one day I witnessed a gang of Four run over to a young adult hen and take turns, one after another, "mating" her. I had noticed the hen peering around some bushes as if she was looking for something. (She was probably trying to get to the nest boxes to lay an egg.) I had no clue what she was hiding from until I also saw the gang of four. They spotted her and made a beeline directly to her. From observing both her behaviors and that of the four cockerels, it was obvious it wasn't the first time that had occurred. That was the last day those four had their freedom, and that very night I sent them to cockerel heaven.

I now keep the cockerels I want to keep for future breeding purposes separated in bachelor pens the very first time I see testosterone-driven behavior. Occasionally some young cockerels are gentlemanly from the get-go, but it is rare, especially if there is more than one. On that note, your rooster should settle back to his former mannerly self once he no longer has to compete for mating rights, and peace will return to your flock.

Thank you for the reassurance. Little Roo left today headed for a large flock of his own. Other Roo will be separated until the 25th when he goes to his new flock, albeit on the smaller side - four hens and several younger pullets. I feel a sense of relief coming over both me and my flock.

 

[MarlaMac]

Update. My girl is back to normal, in fact, my entire flock is acting much more normal. For the last 7 days my egg production had dropped, but it is now returning to normal. I have 8 hens and two pullets just about at point of lay, in fact, I had a little tiny egg the other day which I am assuming was one of these girls first egg. Today, I have 7 eggs in the nest boxes. Yay.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Update. My girl is back to normal, in fact, my entire flock is acting much more normal. For the last 7 days my egg production had dropped, but it is now returning to normal. I have 8 hens and two pullets just about at point of lay, in fact, I had a little tiny egg the other day which I am assuming was one of these girls first egg. Today, I have 7 eggs in the nest boxes. Yay.

So glad to know that!